Metallurgical furnace.



Patented Aug. V22, |899.

J. A. ANKER.

METALLURGICAL FURNACE.

(Application Bled June 10, 1897.)

(No Model.)

#UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH A. ANKER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

IVIETALLURGICAL FURNACE.v

SPECIFICATION forming par: 'of Letters Patent No. 631,414, dated August 22, 1899.

Application filed June 10, 1827. 'Serial No. 640,223. (No modelli i To all wwnt t 11m/y concern: p

Be it known that I, VJOSEPH A. ANKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, in the State of California, have invented a new and useful Metallurgical Furnace, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to metallurgical furnaces forthe reduction of ores; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts whereby economy and convenience of operation are secured. y

The objects of my invention are, first, to secure ease in handling the ore in smelting; second, to facilitate making repairs and saving time in so doing, and, third, to save fuel in operatin g the furnace. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Y Figure 1 is a vertical section of the furnace on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is aside View of the front end of the furnace. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the furnace on the line 3 3-of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a side View of the movable hearth-section or smelting-pot.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

4 A is the outer casing of the furnace; A', the chimney-stack; B, projections on the inner side of the casing; C, the burners; O', openings for the burners O; D, the door in the stack end of the casing; D', a small door, and D,' a large door, in the front end of the furnace 5 d, a small door, and d a large door, in one side of the front end ofthe furnace; E, the movable hearth-section; e, the lining of the hearth-section; F, the discharge-port of the hearth-section; f, the ore in the hearthsection; G, the combustion-chamber in the furnace above the crucibles.

The casing A and stack A are constructed of suitable material and dimensions, depending on the capacity of the furnace. The projections B B are so formed that their inner edges are even withv the inner edges of the hearth-sections E. These hearth-sections are mounted on wheels and run on a track eX- tending longitudinally through thefurnace. This track' is preferably on a grade, so that the hearth-section can be easily moved to the front of the furnace. I have shown hydrocarbon-burners, in which crude petroleum is used, but any other suitable burner and fuel to produce a blast may be used. I have also shown a furnace having five movable hearth-sections, but any suitable number may be used. l

The operation of my furnace is as follows: Movable hearth-sections in sufficient number to fill the track in the furnace, loaded with a suitable quantity of prepared ore, (andtflux when needed,) are run into the furnace' and the doors closed. The blast-lian1e is then projected against the ore in the first hearth-section until it is reduced to a molten state. During the process of smelting the ore can be examined and its condition ascertained by opening the small side door d/ or front door VD. Should more flux or ore be needed, it can be supplied through either of these doors. When the ore in the first hearth-section is sufficiently smelted, the side door d may be opened and through thedischarge-port F the metallic portion can be drawn off into a suitable receptacle. After this the slag is drawn off, or the door D can be opened, the hearthsection run out to a suitable place, and the contents drawn off. As soon as the hearthsection in the front end is run out it is replaced by the one next to it, when -its con-v tents are then subjected to the actionof the blast. The door D is then opened, and another crucible loaded with ore is then run into the furnace and the door closed. This is repeated as often as desired, thereby making the operation of my furnace continuons.

It will be observed that the ends of the hearth-sections fit closely together and the it is quite highly heated. Another advantage of my furnace is that when the ore is smelted the hearth-section is withdrawn and then can be repaired easily without shutting down the furnace.

IOO

I have shown two burners throwing the liame into the front end of the first hearthsection and one burner on each side near the middle and directed slightly toward the rear; l but I do not desire to limit myself to any particular number or to any particular direc- 1 tion or place of discharge of the burners, as it is obvious that the number and position largely depends on the capacity of the furnace.

Having thus described my furnace, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure 3 by Letters Patent, isw

l. A metallurgical furnace comprising a longitudinal combustion chamber having openings at either end, one for the passage in of movable erueibles and one for the passage out of erucibles and a series of movable cru- 1 cibles arranged to move longitudinally through the furnace, forming by their contact with each other the hearth of the furnace, and having in the front end thereof blastflame burners arranged to shoot the flame down intothe Crucible in the front of the furnace and force the flames thereafter to pass over the other crueibles, substantially as and 1 for the purposes shown and described.

2. A metallurgical furnace the bottom of which is com posed of a series of movable crucibles mounted on Wheels, and adapted to be run out of the furnace when desired, placed in close contact with each other in the furnace and forming thereby the bottom of the furnace; said furnace having blast flame burners piercing the casing in the front thereof and arranged to shoot a flame first down and into the end crucible, thence passing over the other crucibles and warming the ore in them preparatory to being subjected to the blast-dame, substantially as and for the purl poses described,

3. In a metallurgical furnace the combination of the series of movable hearth-sections E forming the bottom of the combustionchamber, each having a discharge-port F and adapted to move longitudinally through the furnace, casing A having side projections B B adapted to project over the side edges of the hearth-sections E, door D in the rearend of the furnace, adapted to be opened to permit of the passage into the furnace of the hearth-section E, door D' in the front end of the casing, adapted to be opened to permit of l the passage out of tle furnace of the hearthl section E, door D" in front end of the casing and door d in the side ofthe front end of the l casing both adapted to be opened to inspect 1 the orc in the hearth-section, and to permit l the passage therethrough of more ore or fiux into the hearth-section if needed; door d in the side of and in the frontend of the casing l adapted to be opened to permit ofthe drawing off of the contents of the hearth-section, before the same is removed from the furnace, openings C in the front end and in the sides l of the front end of the casingabovethehearthl section, adapted to permit the passage therel through of the burners C, stack A' at the rear l end of the furnace, with burners C adapted l l l l l to pass through the openings C and discharge a blast-flame into the ore in the hearth-section in the front end of the furnace substantially as set forth. l JOSEPH A. ANKER. l Witnesses: l HENRY T. HAZARD, l G. E. TIARPHAM. 

